Hightower gives students healthy dose of clean fun

Truthfully, she wasn't a fan of the sport until Cardinals running back Tim Hightower showed her how to properly hold a football.

With the football clutched in her arms, she wove through a set of pylons set up in the gymnasium at Vista Del Sur School in Laveen on Tuesday, earning the praise of her mentor.

"You got Hall of Fame written all over you," Hightower called to Elyza as she rejoined her friends. "You're a natural."

Hightower visited Vista Del Sur as part of the sixth annual NFL Take a Player to School sweepstakes, a program that promotes healthy choices by encouraging students to exercise for 60 minutes every day. Fifth-grader Julian Alcantar was one of 34 winners randomly selected from more than 75,000 students nationwide that entered the contest to receive a visit from an NFL player.

"This is like a once-in-a-lifetime experience to be able to meet him," said Jennifer Holm, Julian's mother, who entered Julian in the contest.

Julian's day started early. He woke at 6 a.m., took a shower, put on his red Hightower jersey and eagerly waited outside for Hightower to take him to school in a black stretch limousine.

But before they could depart for school, Julian and Hightower teamed for a game of touch football in the street against Julian's two brothers and sister.

Once at school, Julian and Hightower stopped at the principal's office to chat with school staff and reflect on Hightower's career as a student.

"I was afraid of this office," Hightower admitted. "I had a strict father."

After the pair posed for pictures, they proceeded to the gymnasium for a brief assembly. Handmade red signs reading "Go Cardinals" decorated the walls, and Julian and Hightower were greeted with cheers and applause from students and teachers.

After a question-and-answer session and another round of photos, the real fun started.

Hightower led Julian's class through activities including jumping rope, playing catch and a Cardinals-style obstacle course.

"To have someone of this caliber come here, talk to our students about staying in school, being healthy, it's just a great, wonderful experience for us," said Principal Jim Matthies, whose school also received a check for $2,000 from the NFL and J.C. Penney to support its fitness program.

At the end of his visit, Hightower said he enjoyed his time running around with the students because he wanted to encourage what he calls "the Playstation generation" to stay outside and have fun.

Either way, he knows he made a difference with Julian, who was shy when he first met Hightower.

"He was kind of quiet at first, and then he started warming up and talking a bit," Hightower said. "So I think we both had a lot of fun today."